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Edwards hits Acadiana hard by stripping 29 out of 40 projects

Governor vetoes $2.2 million of projects for Vermilion Parish

By: Chris Rosa
Governor John Bel Edwards looks to have something against Vermilion Parish based on his latest vetoes.
The Governor stripped 40 projects from Louisiana’s $3.6 billion construction budget before signing it into law.
Edwards vetoed $2.2 million worth of Vermilion Parish projects.
Rep. Bob Hensgens was caught off guard when he learned the Vermilion Parish projects were vetoed.
“I’m extremely disappointed in the Governor’s veto of Vermilion capital outlay projects,” said Hensgens.
“I kept an open door discussion with the administration on a balance of cuts and renewal of portion of temporary revenue all day Monday. As a matter of fact, I was in the Senate finance chairs office as late as 11 p.m. with administration officials. To realize now the administration had secretly vetoed the entire delegations projects before Monday causes me to lose faith in the entire administration.”
Edwards vetoed eight projects from Vermilion Parish and 11 from Iberia Parish.
Hensgens said, “Why does he dislike Vermilion? Was it the vote in the last Governor’s race? I’m not sure but his dislike of the parish and our economy is obvious.”
Almost half, 19 out of 40 vetoed projects, are from either Iberia or Vermilion parish.
According to Rep. Blake Miguez, Edwards vetoed every Vermilion Parish project.
“It is disheartening to see the Governor veto much needed drainage improvement projects in Vermilion Parish,” said Miguez. “Again the Governor has vetoed just about every project in Vermilion Parish and has decided not to include them in the Capital Outlay process.”
Miguez said the governor does not understand that the Acadiana area economy has been hit hard the past three years by the slowdown of the oil and gas industry. Families are struggling and can not afford a new tax increase, like the governor wants, Miguez said.

Here is the list of projects that were vetoed.
• $1 million for road improvements
• $200,000 for bridge repair and improvements
• $375,000 for flood damage reduction and drainage improvements
• $375,000 for Gueydan Street improvements
• $40,000 for public works facility
• $150,000 for Kaplan street and drainage improvements
• $50,000 for a pavilion at Clement Park in Kaplan.
• $6,700 for public works facility, upgrade

Vermilion Today

Abbeville Meridional

318 N. Main St.
Abbeville, LA 70510
Phone: 337-893-4223
Fax: 337-898-9022

The Kaplan Herald

219 North Cushing Avenue
Kaplan, LA 70548

The Gueydan Journal

311 Main Street
Gueydan, LA 70542